Anyone who has ever known and loved a dog knows how important they are to us. As such, it might be difficult to imagine a loving breeder ever choosing to work with a pet store.
After all, how could a breeder bear to place the future of their precious puppies in someone else’s hands? In truth, many responsible breeders can and do work with pet stores. Here’s why.
The Hard Work of a Breeder
At first glance, it may seem like the life of a full-time professional dog breeder would be a dream job. In many ways, that’s true! If asked, most breeders would probably say that they have the best job in the world. However, for as rewarding it is to see their pups grow, this does not change the indelible fact that being a breeder is hard work.
Meeting the basic needs of a passel of dogs is already a huge undertaking. Breeders must make sure that every dog has sufficient food, water, exercise, and a comfortable environment – not to mention, tackling the endless task of cleaning up any droppings! They must also coordinate regular veterinary care to keep up with the medical needs of their adult dogs (including special attention needed for pregnant or postpartum dams) and to monitor newborn puppies to make sure that they are meeting milestones, get them microchipped and vaccinated when the time is right, and treat any medical problems that crop up during puppyhood.
Of course, this only represents a dog’s physical needs. Dogs are complex, emotional creatures that require connection, enrichment, and socialization. A puppy and an adult dog will also have different social needs. Adult dogs, particularly those of working breeds, will need to be kept entertained. Puppies, on the other hand, are in the midst of a critical socialization period during these first few weeks. This is the window in which they learn basic social skills from their mother and siblings. They can also benefit being safely exposed to new situations, such as new people, environments, or activities. This would fall to the breeder to give them these early experiences.
None of this considers the actual breeding portion of the job, either! Selecting which dogs to breed (taking into account factors such as health, temperament, coloration, and possibly what sort of hybrid puppy will be produced), coordinating timing with a dam’s cycle, choosing which puppies to keep back for future breeding purposes, and determining which dogs are ready for retirement and rehoming also play a role. This sometimes includes coordinating with other breeders to cross their bloodlines. If the breeder engages in genetic testing, they must check if the offspring is statistically likely to be healthy. If the parents are registered with a breed registry, the breeder will need to file the appropriate paperwork. Some breeders show their dogs, which means that their already busy schedule now includes registering for competitions, traveling to them, and competing against other dogs of their breed.
In short, being a full-time professional dog breeder is a huge commitment. Moreover, it is work that does not have weekends, holidays, or sick days. These are precious lives that the breeders must care for every day, no matter what. It’s little wonder that many breeders make raising puppies a family affair or even employ staff to help them meet the needs of their animals. However, even with extra help to bring up happy, healthy puppies, it does not being to touch on the next challenge: finding that puppy a home.
Finding the Right Home
The simple fact is this: not every breed is suitable for every home. The environmental, enrichment, and exercise needs for a Siberian Husky versus a Shih Tzu are drastically different. Some breeds would be better off in a home without children. Others love kids but would terrorize the resident cat. If an owner’s fondest wish is to have a dog trot beside them without need of the leash, a Shiba Inu is probably not their best choice. If the owner spends their weekends hiking and kayaking, they should probably steer clear of a barrel-chested Bulldog.
To find a home for each puppy, breeders not only need to reach potential adopters (possibly located all over the country!) and let them know about planned litters and/or puppies that are ready to go home, but also to screen interested adopters to make sure their home will be an appropriate match. Factor in coordinating puppy pickup, communicating with waitlisted individuals if an adoption falls through, and processing payment, this can quickly become quite a logistical headache. Some breeders accept this additional role and take placing their puppies in stride. Others would prefer to spend their time and energy caring for their dogs rather than adding additional stressors to their plate.
Unfortunately, this puts them in a tough position. If they’re not going to take on the role of adopting the puppies out, how will they know that their beloved puppies are going to good homes? That is where they can turn to high-quality pet stores like Animal Kingdom and Puppies ‘N Love.
A Bond of Mutual Trust
At Puppies ‘N Love and Animal Kingdom, we only work with breeders that we trust. Regardless of whether they are USDA-licensed breeders or smaller hobby breeders, breeders that we work with directly or through one of our trusted brokers, if this is the first time we are taking on their puppies or if we have known them for decades, every single breeder that we work with must meet our standards of animal care. We care deeply about our puppies, and their parents, and we will not support a breeding operation that compromises on their care.
The same is true in reverse. By choosing to work only with pet stores or distributors that they trust, breeders can put their minds at ease. They know that the time and effort that they spent raising a happy, healthy puppy will continue during their stay with us through our top-notch medical care and commitment to enrichment and socialization. They place their faith in us to dive into each customer’s lifestyle and goals to match them with the breeds, as well as educating the adopter about any breed-specific traits that merit consideration.
More than that, they know that we have been working with puppies for more than three decades and that we have a wealth of advice for first-time puppy owners to help them conquer the early hurdles. Finally, the breeders do not have to worry about some far-flung day if their puppy’s adopter has a change in circumstances that will leave their puppy, now an adult, without a home. Our Homes for Life program exists as a safety net by accepting dogs back into our care and finding them a new forever home.
When a breeder entrusts a puppy to our stores, they are trusting us with their future. That is a responsibility that we take very seriously. At Animal Kingdom and Puppies ‘N Love, our goal is to create harmonious unions between families and puppies. Through nurturing this bond of mutual trust, we form a partnership with responsible breeders to make this goal a reality.
✓ This article has been reviewed by Animal Kingdom’s expert team to ensure accuracy and reliable pet care guidance.
